Citation

Vögele C, Coles J, Wardle J, Steptoe A. Behav. Res. Ther. 2003; 41(2): 139-155.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Luton, UK. claus.vogele@luton.co.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12547376

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to investigate the psychophysiologic effects of "Applied Tension" (AT) on the emotional fainting response to blood and injury in a controlled experiment. METHOD: Twenty-two persons reporting to generally feel faint or to have fainted at the sight of blood or injury and 22 participants classified as Non-Fainters were randomly allocated to a treatment or control condition. Psychophysiologic responses were continuously monitored while individuals watched a video depicting open-heart surgery and a control film. Prior to the surgery film, participants in the treatment condition were instructed in the use of AT. RESULTS: All participants classified as Fainters showed a diphasic response pattern while watching the surgery film. This response, however, was significantly attenuated in Fainters in the treatment condition. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that AT provides an effective treatment strategy for the prevention of fainting responses in persons with a fear of blood and injury.

Language: en